isochronous orbit

The term "isochronous" means that the time taken for a particle to complete one orbit is constant, regardless of its speed or energy, as long as the speed is significantly less than the speed of light. This principle is crucial in the operation of classical cyclotrons, a type of particle accelerator. In these devices, ions are accelerated by an electric field that oscillates at a fixed frequency, matching the isochronous orbital frequency of the ions within a uniform magnetic field. This allows particles to be accelerated multiple times as they spiral outwards. The isochronous nature of the orbits is a key factor in achieving high particle energies for nuclear research.1